Escape scuttle



July 19, 1949 D. G. wlLsoN 2,476,471

ESCAPE SCUTTLE Filed May s1, 194e Patented July 19, 1949 ESCAPE SCUTTLEDonald G. Wilson, Stratford, Conn., assignor The Wilson ManufacturingCompany, Stratford, Conn., a partnership Application May 31, 1946,Serial No. 673,576

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-55) This invention relates to a quick opening escapescuttle to be used in water-tight doors or similar devices of ships andthe like, and more particularly to a scuttle which may be opened fromeither side of the door, and has for its oblject to provide a simplyoperated means through which a person trapped behind a jammed watertightdoor or hatch could escape.

It has for its further object to provide an eslcape means which may beoperated from either I have devised the construction illustrated in theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.V It is,however, to be understood the invention is not limited to thespecic'details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embodyvarious changes and modications within the scope of the invention.

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an escape scuttle embodying my inventionwith a portion of the outer hand wheel thereof removed to show a detail;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2?-2 of Fig. 1, showingone clamp only, and

Fig. 3 is a section showing in detail a portion vof the device.

The invention as shown comprises a substantially circular shaped coveror lid assembly Il). vconstructed of any suitable material, preferablysteel plate, clamped by a suitable means to a water-tight door II, orbulkhead, deck, or other wall, so that it covers a substantiallycircular opening I2 in said door or wall II'.

The cover or lid assembly I consists of a substantially circular flatcover or plate I3, provided at its edge with a rim bar or flange I4fastened by a suitable means, such as welding, at substantially rightangles to and circumscribing the plate I3. A second rim or flange I5similar in construction to the rim vI 4 is fastened to the plate .I3 bya suitable means, such as welding, so that it is within and concentricto the rim I4. The rims I4 and I5 confine a Water-tight gasket I6,composed of rubber or other suitable material. v The circular openingI'2 is completely enclosed by a coamingor rim I'I, secured in place bywelding I8 to the door, the opening being of such size that the edge ofthe coaming I1 will contact the rubber gasket I6, when the coverassembly III is vplaced to cover the opening I2. Thus, when the coverassembly I0 is clamped or held in this position by some suitable means,the coaming II will press into the rubber gasket I6 held in place by theretaining rims I4 and I5, forming a watertight Seal.

A suitable means for clamping the cover assembly Ill in the closedposition heretofore described consists of a bushing I9 through the coverI'3 at substantially its center, and secured there by a suitable meanssuch as welding 20. A series of ribs 2I, preferably three, are alsowelded to the bushing and to the cover I3 along its radii, terminatingat and welded to the rim I5. These ribs 2| provide additional supportingmeans for the bushing I9 as well as provide stiffening to the cover I3to prevent buckling and the like.

The bushing I9 supports a spindle or arbor 22, so that this spindle 22may turnfreely in the bushing I9. A flange 23 on-the spindle 22 and awheel 24 with a substantially square hole 25 at its center, which fltson a similarly shaped portion of the spindle 22, and which is held onthe spindle 22 by a nut 26 threaded to the spindle 22, prevent thespindle 22 from moving longitudinally of the bushing I9. The wheel 24and the flange 23 are separated from contact with the bushing I9 bywashers 21 and 2B. A second wheel 29 is attached to the opposite end ofthe spindle 22 from the wheel 24 by means of a substantially square hole30 which fits on a similarly shaped lportion of the spindle 22 and isvretained on the spindle by means of a nut 3|.

It is clear that because both wheels 24 and 29 are attached to thespindle 22 by means of substantially square holes at their centers, andsince the spindle 22 is free to turn in the bushing I9, either or bothwheels 24 and 29 may be turned by an operator to turn the spindle 22.Bronze bearing bushings I9a for the spindle or arbor 22 may be mountedin the bushing I'9 and separated by a suitable packing |911 to provide aWater-tight bearing.

The portion of the spindle between the flange 23 and the wheel 29 isthreaded to receive a nut or traveler 32. The nut or traveler 32 isshaped to receive a ring member 33 which is held to the traveler bybeing clamped between a shoulder 34 on the traveler and a lock nut 35threaded to the traveler and secured thereto by peening over the edge 36of the .traveler 32.

A series of forked members or arms 31, preferably three, is fastened tothe ring 33 by a suitable means, such as welding, and extends radiallyfrom the ring. The outer end of each of the members 37 is forked, asshown at 31a, to receive the end of a dog 38 in the form of a leverwhich is pivoted to the forked member 3'! by means of a nut and boltassembly 39 through holes in the fork of member 31, and a longitudinalslot 40 in the dog 38. This dog is also pivoted between a pair of lugs42, welded to the inner side of the cover I3, by means of a nut and boltassembly 4I through the lugs'or ears 42 and the dog 38. Y

It is clear that when the wheels 24 and 29 are turned, the nut ortraveler 34 Vandthe forked members 31 attached thereto will travellongitudinally of the spindle 22, thus causing each Adog 38 to swingabout the pivot 4 I, the inner end of the dog 38 pivoted to the boltassembly 39 being slotted as shown at 40 to permit this end .of the dog38 to swing in an arc. The other end 43 of the dog 38 also swings in anarc about its pivot 4I, the dog 38 being of such length that when it isswung to the locked or closed position, shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2,by means of turning the wheels 24 or 29, the end 43 will press againstthe coaming I'I at the side opposite the cover I0, thus clamping thecoaming I1 securely between the gasket I6 and the dog 38, causing thecoaming II to press into the gasket forming a water-tight seal betweenthe door II and the cover assembly I0. When the wheels 24 or 29 arerotated in the opposite direction, the traveler will move along the slotto the other extreme position, shown by solid lines, Fig. 2, causing theend 43 of the dog 3B to swing in an arc about its pivot 4I, therebyleaving the coaming and pulling inwardly toward the center, permittingthe end 43 of the dog 38 to clear the inside wall 44 of the coaming I1,allowing an operator to swing the cover I6 open.

The cover I3 is hinged to the door II by means of a pair of hinges 35,so that it may be swung to the open or closed position. The hingescomprise a hinge blade 45 fastened to the outer surface of the lid I3 bya suitable means, such as welding, and pivoted, by means of a nut andbolt 4 by inserting the toggle pin 53 through the lugs 50 and 49,permitting the toggle 54 to assume a -position substantiallyperpendicular to the pin 53, thus preventing inadvertent removal. Thescuttle may be closed by simply reversing the above outlined procedure.

It can be seen that I have constructed an escape scuttle which, throughits simplicity, offers a maximum of reliability, and by being operablefrom either side of a door or wall to which it is attached provides amaximum of utility.

Having thus set forth the nature of my inven- Y .tion, I claim;

assembly 48, between two lugs or hinge pads llI4 l.

welded to the door Il.

A suitable means for holding the cover Aassembly I3 in the open positionconsists of a pair of lugs 49 welded to the door or wall II and spacedto receive a lug or blade 59 welded to the cover I3. A hole 5I issoplaced in the lug 50 that it will be aligned with holes 52 in the lugs49. A toggle pin 53 provided with a pivoted toggle ythe closed position;that is, the cover assembly It covers the opening I2, as heretoforedescribed.

The cover may be opened by an operator turning either wheel 24 or 29,causing the traveler 34 to move longitudinally of the spindle 22. Inthis manner the dog 33 is caused to swing onits pivot 4|, thus causingthe end 43 of the dog 38 to swing away from the coamingl'l in an arc,toward the center, thus permitting-.the cover to be swung open. Thecover is heldin the open position 1. An escape scuttle for a wallprovided with an escape opening, including a coaming comprising atubular member mounted in said opening intermediate its ends so that itextends on opposite sides of the wall, a cover hinged to the wall on oneside outwardly of the coaming and provided with a .peripheral grooveholding a gasket to seat on one edge of said coaming, a spindle mountedin a .bearing extending through the cover, a traveler threaded on saidspindle, a series of radial arms extending outwardly from the traveler,a clamping dog pivotally connected to each arm and pivotally mounted onthe cover, the outer end of each dog being adapted to engage the edge ofthe coaming on the opposite side from the cover in one position tosecure the cover closed and to besw'ung clear of the coaming to permitopening of the cover, and manual operating means on the spindle on Vatleast one side of the cover to turn the spindle to shift the carrier andthus operate the dogs to clamp and release the cover.

2. An escape scuttle for a wall provided with an escape opening,including a coaming comprising a tubular member extending through andwelded to the edges of said opening intermediate its ends so as toextend on opposite sides of the wall, a cover adapted to be clampedagainst one end of said coaming on one side of the wall, a series of`clamping dogs pivotally mounted on the inner side of the cover andadapted at their outer ends to clamp the other end of the coaming on theopposite side from the cover, a. spindle mounted in a bearing in thecover, a carrier including a traveler threaded on the spindle andradially extended arms operated by said traveler and pivotally connectedto the inner ends of the dogs, and manual operating means for thespindle on at least one side of the cover to turn the spindle to shiftthe carrier to clamp and release the dogs to thus clamp and release thecover from one side thereof. v

3. An escape scuttle for a wall provided with an escape `openingincluding a coaming compris,- ing a tubular member mounted in andextending through the opening so as to extend on opposite sides of thewa1l,'a cover comprising a substantially flat plate, a peripheral angewelded to said ythe center of the cover and projecting inwardly from theinner surface of the jcover, aV plurality of lclamping dogs each pivotedintermediate its length on the inner side of the covereand adapted atits outer end toclamp the edge of the coaming on the opposite side fromVthe cover, said dogs also adapted to swing on their pivots to shifttheir outer ends inwardly away from the coaming so as to be free to passthrough the opening, a spindle mounted in the bearing sleeve, a carrierincluding a traveler` threaded on the spindle and also connected to theinner ends of the dogs to swing them on their pivots to and from theclamping position, and a manually operable means on the spindlek to turnit to shift the carrier to operate the dogs.

DONALD G. WILSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number Number 6 l UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date l Miller Apr. 15, 1919Jewell Feb, 14, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Oct. 26, 1921Germany June 24, 1938

